Phoenix: Ricky Rudd preview

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#88 TEAM LOOKS TO IMPROVE RESULTS IN PHOENIX

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (April 17, 2007) -- The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series heads to
Phoenix International Raceway for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 this weekend.
After a difficult race weekend in Texas where the #88 Snickers Ford was
involved in a wreck on the first lap of the race, Ricky Rudd looks to
pilot his team to a successful finish in Phoenix. The Car of Tomorrow
will make its third start of the season at the largest track (1-mile
track) it has appeared at for the 2007 season. Challenges facing the
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams will be how these new cars handle the
higher speeds at Phoenix, and will be a true test of the new car's style
with aerodynamics.

Quoting Snickers Driver, Ricky Rudd:

Looking to Phoenix and the return of the Car of Tomorrow, is it difficult
switching back and forth between the two different car styles and finding
set-ups that work?

"It's two different worlds really. There's just so much of a
difference in the cars and in the ways you set them up. You forget about
where you've been with the standard cars in the past with their set ups
and you look back on our Richmond test and our weekend in Martinsville
where we ran a pretty good race. Honestly, there are a lot of
similarities between our most recent runs at those two tracks and then
Phoenix, but you have another factor going into this weekend and that is
speed. The speed is much faster in Phoenix and the aerodynamics will be
a big factor this weekend. This is going to be the biggest track we've
run the COT car at so far. We haven't really run anywhere yet where the
aerodynamics have made such a difference, but it definitely will this
weekend."

Anything that you are specifically focusing on this weekend in Phoenix?

"For this weekend it's all about getting the car to go handle through
the corners to let us take advantage of horsepower. The frustration
factor is that what used to work in Phoenix on the standard car styles
most likely won't work with the new COT cars. The challenge is going to
be figuring out how to adapt these cars to the needs that the drivers
encounter on the track."

Are you feeling confident going into Phoenix?

"I'm probably as confident as anyone honestly, and I just really don't
know what to expect. I guess because the car is so new to everybody,
there's just a question mark for us as to what we're going to expect
for this week. I'd like to be optimistic, but it's hard to be
confident until you get your first laps out there on the track. It's
been a good track to us over the years. I've had a lot of great runs in
Phoenix and I hope that we have another one this weekend."

NOTES OF INTEREST:

* Rudd is currently one start shy of tying Dave Marcis' record for
career starts. Rudd has 882 career starts placing him third on the
all-time list of drivers behind Richard Petty (1,184 starts) and Dave
Marcis (883 starts)

* Rudd's average finish at Phoenix is 19.3

* Rudd has completed 5736 of 5876 laps at Phoenix (97.6%) since he
first began racing there in 1998

* Rudd's best start at Phoenix was from the third position in 1996

* Rudd's best finish at Phoenix was a victory in 1995 while driving
the #10 Tide Ford

* Rudd's starting position of 29th in 1995 was the lowest starting
position of a race winner at Phoenix

* Rudd has led 387 laps at Phoenix placing him third among active
drivers after Mark Martin and Kurt Busch